We returned late last night from a jaunty jaunt to Las Vegas. We locked eyes with Joe Jonas, slapped hands with Enrique Iglesias and stood 5 feet away from a grumpy looking Lil Jon. To say that it was the experience of a lifetime is an understatement.

So we are just getting our head wrapped around the recent renovations that Coach Eakins made to the dressing room Chez Oil. Old news to you perhaps but to a level 156 fanboy still floating in celebrity sighting heaven it's news over here.

RENOVATIONS

No more does the hockey rink with the old copper and blue Oilers logo cover the carpet in the center of the room. The ‘Once an Oiler, Always an Oiler’ wall has been removed as well, adding to the list of alterations to the dressing room at Rexall Place.

“I think when a coach takes over he needs to change things in the room just for the sake of changing them sometimes,” said Eakins. “With that being said, when I went through it I have a vision for our dressing room. Believe me, we’re not done in there yet.

“We were under the gun just to get what we have done so far. Each day, more will be added. First and foremost, we wanted to brighten it up a little bit... We have moved some pictures and plaques and we’re going to put them out for our fans to enjoy.”

Whoa whoa whoa. Eakins has a vision for the design of the Oilers dressing room? Who does this guy think he is Antoni Gaudi? Does dressing room decor fall under the responsibilities list of an NHL head coach job posting? Does he have a vision for the pregame show too? Does his ambitious approach to the game know no bounds?

We cannot recall a coach in the history of the game of hockey - one with nary an NHL game on the bench under his belt - make so many changes in such a short span of time. At the same time Eakins manages to acknowledge that us Oilers fans exist and put the memorabilia on display for us to look at. Shouldn't he be taking us for granted and offhandedly reminding us that you can pre-purchase mini packs for 2023 starting on Monday?

Yes this Dallas Eakins is certainly making some waves isn't he.

*swoons*

ON THE ONE HAND

It's great that Eakins is grabbing a broom and chasing the ghosts of TBOTB out of the dressing room at Rexall Place. As anyone with more than a passing interest in the team can tell you the Oil have been using the 80s as a crutch for far too long. Refusing to refer to the team as a "young team" anymore is incredible too.

It seems as though this guy wants to win and wants to win immediately and changing the culture of the room requires an immediate series of deliberate steps. Waiting and assessing can only prolong a torturous process as we have all witnessed in watching the office of the General Manager these past few seasons.

ON THE OTHER HAND

What the heck is wrong with a plaque that reads "once an Oiler always an Oiler" hanging in the dressing room? We can't help but wonder what Lowe, MacT and Co think about all these changes and breaks with tradition before a single regular season game has been played. The original #4 still points to his Cup rings as a player as a testament to his success as a GM for heaven's sakes.

That doesn't strike us as the kind of boss that wants all evidence of his earlier dominance put out to pasture in the concourse of the arena for us rabble to stare at open mouthed while we line up for $1000 beers.

Is Eakins right to renovate the dressing room within an inch of it's life? Is this overkill or a necessary part of the rebuild which has now officially kicked into high gear.

Now if he could just makeover the line-up with about six guys who will drop the gloves with almost anybody - Engellend, Tootoo, etc. to go with Brown, Eager, Hamilton and Acton and maybe an AHL Super Heavy, we would be well on our way to respectability and the PLAYOFFS! BIG STEVE MACINTYRE OR PIERRE LUC LETOURNEAU LEBLOND will be available on waivers from Pittsburgh soon! Hint Hint!!!!!

Good luck to Eakins, for as long as it lasts here anyways. Who does he to think he is to come in and try to raise the bar. Why should these millionaires be made to play just a little bit closer to the edge, after the bar was set at an alltime Lowe here the last 5 yrs. The players are probably laughing under their breathe, while Eakins enjoys his moment in the sun. The players are in control here, not Dallas Eakins.

It'll take a helluva lot more than just a new coach to get this thing back on the rails. I give Dallas Eakins 2 yrs before they mutually part ways.

Joe Jonas,Lil Jon?....celebrities? Oh yeah I keep forgetting your like 17 years old, wanye...As for changes ...mmm yeah it is his dressing room so let him get on with it. Why that should bother you is a much a mystery as why you consider Joe Jonas a celebrity.

I am ok with almost all of it, but I personally like the slogan "Once and Oiler, Always an Oiler" That was something the Glen Sather instilled and it speaks to loyalty. I guess it is just another bit of evidence that these guys are mercs and loyalty is no longer expected.

It's unfortunate that Ryan Smyth can't be removed from the locker room with the rest of the old stuff. I'd love for the team to find a spot for him in the organization, but last night's game was just another frustrating example of how he just doesn't have 'it' anymore.

Joe Jonas,Lil Jon?....celebrities? Oh yeah I keep forgetting your like 17 years old, wanye...As for changes ...mmm yeah it is his dressing room so let him get on with it. Why that should bother you is a much a mystery as why you consider Joe Jonas a celebrity.

The whole once and Oiler thing has less cache when the team has ridden the bottom of the barrel as long as they have. I would be happier if they were focused on the here and now than the past or even the future. I am all for the change, and fans should appreciate the memorabilia more anyhow.

LMAO @ WANYE "Shouldn't he be taking us for granted and offhandedly reminding us that you can pre-purchase mini packs for 2023 starting on Monday?"

Good luck to Eakins, for as long as it lasts here anyways. Who does he to think he is to come in and try to raise the bar. Why should these millionaires be made to play just a little bit closer to the edge, after the bar was set at an alltime Lowe here the last 5 yrs. The players are probably laughing under their breathe, while Eakins enjoys his moment in the sun. The players are in control here, not Dallas Eakins.

It'll take a helluva lot more than just a new coach to get this thing back on the rails. I give Dallas Eakins 2 yrs before they mutually part ways.

I am ok with almost all of it, but I personally like the slogan "Once and Oiler, Always an Oiler" That was something the Glen Sather instilled and it speaks to loyalty. I guess it is just another bit of evidence that these guys are mercs and loyalty is no longer expected.

See I think of it more as Eakins thinking along the lines of "that's great that every Oilers alum is still an Oiler but my main concern is the Oilers currently in the lineup so the focus goes on them"

I agree the Souray situation was poorly handled, but could I could ask the same question of a guy like Ryan Smyth.

I respect the fact that a lot of fans here weren't even a twinkle in the old mans eye when I became a fan, but I always respected Sather's comment that "this team may not always be able to pay the most, but the organization will always try to look after you when you playing days are done."

Joe Jonas,Lil Jon?....celebrities? Oh yeah I keep forgetting your like 17 years old, wanye...As for changes ...mmm yeah it is his dressing room so let him get on with it. Why that should bother you is a much a mystery as why you consider Joe Jonas a celebrity.

You might not realize it but Wanye Gretz is actually a 49 year old housewife. He has 14 cats, a host of Twilight fan fiction, and owns "50 Shades of Grey" in 5 different languages.

I don't care what they do to the dressing room. Paint the whole thing pink with MLP and Cabbage Patch Kids all over the walls if that's what it takes for an honest to god culture change that encourages winning for once. Over the past three or four years, we've been hearing every coach speak rhetoric about changing the culture and not a single one of them managed to do it the way they went about it, so if taking down some old crap off a wall and putting some baby pictures of every roster Oiler player on the walls will help then by all means, go for it.